Vulcan
by Skye1963
Summary: When Sam Winchester was 15, he ran away from his family.  When he is 20, his family finds him and a Christmas Miracle helps to heal them.


_I don't own any of the characters, they belong to Eric Kripke. Lucky guy!_

Vulcan

When Sam Winchester was eight, he found out that monsters were real and one of them killed his mother above his crib when he was six months old. After Sam was told about the monsters, John started to drink heavily and blamed his youngest son for Mary's death. When Sam turned ten, his father had been beating him steadily for a year, always under the guise of training. Sam made damn sure that his brother never saw the bruises or cuts. This was also the same year that Sam discovered knives. He loved the quiet way they had to kill things. They were graceful and beautiful and when in Sam's hand, deadly. When Sam turned twelve, he started to design his own knives. He always did them in two, one was silver and the other was iron. Beautifully balanced, they could fit any hand he wanted them to.

Bobby found out about Sam's talent and helped him market the designs. Pastor Jim taught him protective sigils and runes to be carved on each knife. With the help of these two men, Sam became rich before he was thirteen but he never told his brother or father. All the bank accounts were in Bobby's and Jim's name to keep the older Winchesters from finding out. The three of them knew that John would use the money to hunt and not to take care of his boys. That didn't mean that Sam kept the money to himself, he did help his family out. Through Bobby and Jim, he made sure that they were clothed and fed. He couldn't do more otherwise his dad would get suspicious.

Bobby arranged for Sam to spend the summers with either him or Jim. Or so the elder Winchesters thought. Actually, after they left, Sam would go to apprentice with an old sword maker to learn the craft. He kept up with the man during the winter, meeting him in different towns when his brother and father were hunting, so he could polish his skills. At fourteen, his knives were becoming the rage in the Hunting community. All through this time though, John still believed his youngest was weak and not worth the time it took to feed him. Sam was still beaten in their "training".

Sam left his family when he was fifteen. His dad had gotten Dean a knife for his birthday and celebrated it with his eldest son. John had told Sam that he was being punished for lipping off and therefore was grounded. On Sam's birthday, both of the elder Winchesters were hunting. Sam didn't receive even a call from them but he did find a note from his dad saying that he would never again celebrate the birth of such an unworthy son. That night Sam left. He took all of his personal belongings and walked out the door, intending never to see his family again. To make sure Dean wouldn't be hurt by the things his father said, Sam had burned the note and flushed the ashes in the toilet.

When Sam hit the border of Illinois, he called Bobby to see if the man would come and get him. He knew that his brother and father hadn't gotten back from the hunt yet and he would be safe calling Bobby. Crying for the last time, he told Bobby everything that had been going on since he turned eight. Bobby was angry at John's treatment of Sam. He agreed to pick Sam up and said that Pastor Jim would be with him. Sam felt grateful to the two men in his life that cared about him. When they got there, they sat down and talked. The three of them knew that when John found out his youngest had run away, he would naturally go to Bobby's and Jim's to look for Sam. They feared what the eldest Winchester would do to the teen so Jim came up with a solution. With some of Sam's money, Jim bought a cabin and acreage by Blue Earth and put the title in the name of Robert Samuel Murphy.

The three of them made sure the cabin and surroundings were protected and the old sword maker came to help Sam build his own forge. Sam decided that he wanted to be cut off from the world, except for Bobby, Jim, and his mentor. With that in mind, he didn't have a telephone, television, or radio. He did have a laptop that he would email or IM his friends. Jim started to stay with Sam and taught him how to polish his researching skills and about God. Jim also homeschooled Sam and was delighted to find out how intelligent Sam was. In fact, Sam graduated from school when he was sixteen. He graduated from college (on line of course) when he was twenty with a BA in History and Math. He also was fluent in ten current languages and five dead languages. He still didn't want to be found by his family so he started to go by the name Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and the forge.

Even though he was a recluse and only saw two people, his mentor died from natural causes, Vulcan became known around the world as a supreme researcher and for his knives, which were made to order. Bobby would smile to himself when John asked if Vulcan could research something for him, never knowing that it was his youngest son, that waste of space, doing it. John had even bought a couple of Vulcan's knives. He didn't know that Bobby had to argue with Sam for hours before Sam agreed to make them. He didn't know that Jim checked the sigils on the knives to make sure they were for protection and success and not for harm. He didn't know or seem to care that his youngest was still alive.

When Sam was seventeen, his powers started to develop. Jim and Bobby helped him to learn how to use and channel them. It wasn't easy since one of them was telekinesis and seemed to be tied to Sam's emotions. After a while, the only thing that would guarantee Sam losing control was to mention his father. Then all hell would break loose and things would go flying around the room.

Sam really liked his telepathic powers. Except for needing to keep everyone out of his head, he loved being able to speak to his friends without vocalizing. One of the things John had always told him was that his voice was irritating and grating. When Sam moved to the cabin, he quit talking to everyone except for Jim and Bobby.

When he started to get visions, he was worried that people were dying on account of his being so cowardly as to not wanting to leave his haven. Bobby decided to help and would get all the information from Sam and pass it to the hunters in the area. This system worked wonderfully and many people were saved due to Sam's visions.

This continued until Sam was twenty, then a miracle happened at Christmas in Blue Earth.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

John Winchester was a very worried father. Ever since his youngest son disappeared, Dean stopped talking. It was just like after Mary died. Dean had gone into a depression that only Sam was able to pull him from. Now there was no Sam. Hadn't been for the last five years and Dean still wouldn't speak. He did the hunts but with a desperation that bordered on the suicidal. John knew that if Dean didn't pull out of his funk, John would lose him like he did Sam.

John and Dean looked frantically for Sam after they realized that Sam had run away. John knew it was his fault, he wrote the note that caused Sam to leave. When he couldn't find it in the motel room, John knew that Sam found the note and destroyed it for Dean's sake, not his. Dean, of course, knew that John was at fault for his little brother leaving but never figured out the details. Sam had been good at hiding everything that had happened from Dean. It was then that Dean stopped speaking. John never felt so helpless in his life.

In desperation, John decided to go to Blue Earth for Christmas. Dean and Sam used to love going to Jim's for visits and John hoped that there would be some happy memories that would help Dean. He also ordered a special set of knives from Vulcan to give to his son. Son, singular. Every time he thought of the word son, his throat would close up and he wanted to cry. He never knew how much his youngest son meant to him until Sam ran away then it was too late.

After Sam ran away, John drank heavily and ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning. John knew that his drinking was a big factor in Sam being gone. It took a few months and a couple more episodes of poisoning before he got his head out of his ass and went to AA. He had been sober ever since and even became a church goer. After the disaster of his life, John started to believe in God.

John was nervous about going to Blue Earth. When Sam disappeared, Jim and Bobby both became very cold towards him. He knew that they had information about Sam but were protecting the teen from his father. John knew that the only reason he still had those two men as friends were more for Dean's sake than his own. Especially since Bobby had tried to shoot him a couple of times and Jim had stopped asking him around for visits when he was in the area. If Dean was with him, the men were polite to him, nothing more. It was due to this that John decided on this Christmas visit. He hoped that the season would bring healing to his extended family. At the same time, he would go to Vulcan's forge to pick up Dean's present. He found the address while at Bobby's the last time and copied it down. It was strange that Bobby had the address of a recluse, but then Bobby had amazing resources and knew so many people. Instead of asking Bobby for directions, John went on the computer and got them himself. He was surprised to find out how close to Blue Earth the address was.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

Since it was Christmas Eve and he was expected at Jim's, Sam shut the forge down early and picked up the packages he would need to give to Bobby for mailing. He also got out the presents he bought on line for his uncles and one for his brother. Every year, he had gotten Dean a present and every year he gave it to Bobby. He didn't know if Bobby gave it to Dean or kept it himself and Sam didn't want to know. The whole thing was still too painful for him to think about. He still had scars on his back to remind him of John.

This year, he was also bringing a box of protective charms with him. Sam started to expand his line with necklaces, bracelets, and rings that had sigils carved on them. Jim suggested them as something he could sell to the general public to try to protect more people. Sam took the suggestion and ran with it. Now the charms he made just needed to be blessed by Jim for the magic in them to activate. Since it was Christmas, Sam hoped the blessings would be more powerful.

After getting cleaned up and packed for the three day visit that Bobby and Jim said was mandatory, Sam got into his car and started the drive to Jim's. His drive was long and a bit tricky to navigate but he was used to it. He still didn't like to go out in public, but he had to do his shopping. Food was something he couldn't get online and Jim decided that it would do Sam good if he went to the store at least once a month. After the half hour drive, he pulled into Jim's driveway and put the car in the garage. Since he had more than he could bring in with one trip, he decided to cheat a little and had the packages follow him in. Once in, he put the packages down in the den and went to the room Jim had given him. The drive and the fact he had been up since three that morning wore him out and Sam fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Jim got back from shopping. Since Bobby and Sam were going to be staying with him for Christmas, he had to get some food in the house. He pulled in next to Sam's car and started to get the bags that contained perishables. He knew that Sam would bring in the others, would insist on it, for him. It didn't faze Jim that Sam was in the house, he had given the young man a key when he first came up here to live. He chuckled as he anticipated this Christmas holiday. Bobby was coming up with a present that would blow Sam's mind.

When Jim was done putting away the fridge and freezer items, he went into his den and found the box of charms. He picked up one of the charms and was again in awe of the craftsmanship that was evident in all of Sam's pieces. Sam was a true artist. His pieces took time and patience. The shining polish on the silver pieces showed his dedication to his craft. Jim felt humbled that Sam felt he was worthy to bless his charms and knives. He always felt that a higher prelate should have that honor but Sam wouldn't hear of it. He had said that only a pure man with love in his heart could give a blessing strong enough to protect the user or wearer of his pieces. Jim took the box of charms and knives to the chapel and blessed them.

On his way back to the house, he saw Bobby drive up and pull in the garage. Even from a distance, Jim could see that the older man was gleeful. Smiling, Jim knew that this Christmas would be great.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

Sam had gotten up to help Jim bring in the heavy grocery bags while Bobby made his famous chili. After dinner and the dishes were cleaned up, Jim went to his study to finish his Christmas Eve sermon. Bobby and Sam retired to the living room to talk about anything and everything. Usually Bobby would have spent the time watching t.v. but since Sam never did, the t.v. stayed off. Around eight, Sam started to yawn and went back to bed. He wanted to be somewhat awake for the Midnight Service.

Bobby watched as the young man stumbled his way to the stairs. He was very proud of Sam but was worried too. Jim had said that Sam had little to no self-esteem ever since his father abused him. It was very unusual for a person of Sam's age to seal himself off from the world unless they were depressed. They already knew Sam was that but they didn't know how to fix it. What was needed was Dean. Dean could get Sam out of any funk he was in with a smile and a giggle. Bobby just didn't know how. He sighed and turned the t.v. on.

Bobby had fallen asleep and was snoring softly when the distinct sound of the Impala intruded on his dreams. At first, he thought it _was_ a dream until he heard the doors slam shut, footsteps coming to the door and knocking at the door. Bobby paled as Jim came out of his den.

"Uh, Jim," Bobby began, "Did you invite John Winchester here?"

"No, why?" asked Jim.

"That's him at the door," Bobby replied.

Jim blanched and both men raised their eyes to the place where they knew Sam was sleeping. They knew that they would have to talk to John before Sam knew he was there otherwise the reunion would be a disaster. Sam's telekinesis still went haywire whenever John was even thought of and Jim really didn't want his house to be trashed.

Jim took a deep breath and answered the door. This time, it was a defeated John and a suffering Dean who stood on his doorstep. Despite his anger at the treatment Sam had received at John's hand, Jim's heart went out to the two men. Bobby also felt bad for the elder Winchesters but also couldn't help the little voice in his head that said, "Serves you right, you idgit!"

Jim looked at Bobby and purposely nodded his head towards his den. Bobby said nothing but went to the den to wait. Then Jim said, "Dean, why don't you go sit down in the living room while I talk to your father."

Dean nodded tiredly and went to sit down. Jim then took John's arm and dragged the confused man into his den for a long over-due talk. The den door closed and all Dean could hear was the hum of voices through the door. He was so tired that he almost went to sleep on the couch but thought the better of it. As painful as it was to think about, he needed to go to the room he used to share with his baby brother to get some sleep.

Dean stumbled upstairs. He was so tired that he barely noticed his surroundings and was on automatic pilot. When he reached the door that led to the bedroom he had shared with his brother, he opened it and stepped in. For a minute, he thought he was dreaming. There was a figure in the bed furthest from the door, Sam's bed. As he watched, the figure, a young man, turned on his side and curled up. A hand went automatically to the man's mouth. Just like Sam used to do when he was starting to have a nightmare. Just like Sam…

Dean's eyes opened wide. He stared at the man and came to the conclusion that it was indeed Sam. His breath went out and he gasped. Sam had grown, he was now 6'4", his hair was very long and he was muscular. Dean remembered his scrawny little brother and tears formed in his eyes. He missed seeing his baby grow up and it made him hate John even more than he did. Quietly, Dean put his duffle down then stripped down to his boxers and tee. He curled behind his brother and, hugging Sam tight, fell into the first blissful sleep he had in five years.

John was tired. Not only did he get up early to get here, and then he had to have a "chick flick" emo moment with Jim and Bobby. He told them the truth of what he did with Sam and what happened after Sam left. He only hunted now because Dean would push him to do so. He knew Dean was trying to die now that his brother was gone. He told that to the two downstairs and his hope that they would help him get Dean's depression under control. As he reached the top of the stairs, he looked at the door where his sons once slept. He decided to look in on Dean and as he opened the door, he heard his name shouted in the distance.

John looked the bedroom and quickly located Dean in what used to be Sam's bed. As he stared, he noticed Dean was curled around someone. He looked harder and before he could stop himself, he shouted, "SAM!" All hell broke loose the next minute.

_Sam's nightmare was familiar. He had had it ever since he left John and Dean. In it, he is sleeping on a bed and a monster comes through the door. The monster shifts into being John who begins to beat him. Sam screams for John to stop but he doesn't until Sam is a bloody heap, barely moving. This time, the monster screams his name "SAM!" and Sam reacts instinctively by reaching out with his mind and throws the monster into the wall._

Bobby and Jim reached the room just as John went flying into the wall. Both men looked into the room and saw Sam was in the throes of a nightmare. Instinctively, both men cried out the safe word that they had worked out before. As Bobby called out verbally, Jim called out mentally "Dean!" Sam woke up and released John from the wall. When Bobby called out, it woke Dean up from his sound sleep in time to see John sliding down the wall. Dean watched dumbly as Jim and Bobby dragged his father out the door and close it, leaving him there with an agitated brother.

As Sam looked around in fear, Dean reached up and gently laid a hand on his brother's shoulder in comfort. "Sammy," Dean's voice was rusty and gravelly after not speaking for years, "Shh baby, big brother's here. I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you."

_Dean?_ Sam thought, _what are you doing here? I thought you were with..._ Even in his thoughts, Sam couldn't say John's name. Sam squeaked as he was pulled into a bear hug. He struggled for a bit then settled down knowing that Dean wouldn't let him go until he was damn well ready.

"Oh God Sammy! I thought you were dead. Where have you been," cried Dean.

_Dean…can't…breathe! _projected Sam.

"Oh, sorry," Dean loosened his grip on Sam then realized a few things. "Dude, are you _thinking_ at me? And what happened to John?"

At John's name, the dresser trembled and screeched across the floor. Dean's eyes widened and Sam turned red. Dean turned to Sam and silently demanded an explanation.

_Uh, sorry about that. I still have some problems with my TK but other than that I have full control over it. And yeah, I'm "thinking" at you. It's called telepathy. Sorta developed my gifts when I was seventeen. Jim and Bobby have helped me out a lot. Please don't hunt me! I'll just leave and you don't have to see me again! c_ried Sam in his thoughts.

Dean winced as the volume increased in his mind. To calm his brother down, he started to rub Sam's back. "I'll never hunt you, baby brother. I love you even if you have freaky powers. I'll never let anyone hunt you either. I'll kill them if they try. And you are never leaving my side again, even if I have to Superglue you to me!"

Sam tried to control his breathing but started to hyperventilate when he realized that he actually threw John into the wall. As far as he knew, John would start hunting him since the man only saw in black and white. Sam looked around in panic, thinking he had to get back to the forge, where he would be safe. He sprung out of bed and started to gather his stuff. Dean watched with concern as his little brother ran around the room and made up his mind. Knowing it may be dangerous, he got up and approached his brother, "Sam, please take me with you. I'll die if I can't be with you. My life has been hell since you left and I just can't do it anymore."

Sam looked into his brother's tear filled eyes and projected, _Okay but we need to leave now. He'll try to kill me if I stay here. _

Dean didn't comment, just dressed and gathered his stuff to put in his duffle. When he was finished he looked expectantly at Sam. Sam went to the door and could hear voices in the hall. So that way was a no go. Then he looked at the window and smiled.

_Do you trust me?_

Dean looked in his eyes and said, "Yes."

Sam went to the window and quietly opened it. Then, using his TK, he picked up his brother and their luggage and gently floated them out the window. After Dean landed, he looked up to see Sam floating down to him.

"Remember to close the window," Dean said. "Pastor doesn't need to pay for the high heating bill."

Sam smiled and closed the window. Then the young men went to the garage and got into Sam's car. They pulled out and Sam sent an apologetic thought to Jim and Bobby, letting them know that he and Dean were going back to the forge.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

Bobby and Jim brought a much shaken John back to the den where Jim poured him a healthy amount of brandy. John took it and very carefully put the glass down. "I stopped drinking, remember?" John said.

"Sorry about that," apologized the pastor, "John, look I know you have a lot of questions and we can guess a few of them. Let us tell you what we know and we'll take it from there. Okay?"

John took a deep breath and nodded. He knew that what he was about to hear was going to be hard but he needed to know about Sam.

Bobby began, "When Sam first contacted us, he told us the whole story. To protect him, we got him set up in a place and have been watching out for him ever since. He's become a recluse because of his fear of you (John winced at that). Now about his gifts…you saw his telekinesis. He has great control over it unless you are mentioned or if he has nightmares. Then crap goes flying, like you saw tonight. He also has telepathy and uses it to the extent that he doesn't talk at all. We think he is also empathic since that is a talent closely linked to telepathy. Unfortunately, since he doesn't go out in the world, we really can't gauge it. He is also a precog, meaning that he can see future events. His precognitions are mainly used to help people with supernatural problems. When he has a dream, he lets me or Jim know and we pass the information to the closest hunter. In fact, we have given you and Dean a couple of those cases."

"So you mean that Sam is so frightened of me I can't even get close to apologize?" John agonized.

"Actually, Bobby and I have a safe word that we use to help Sam calm down," Jim stated, "Can you guess what that word is?"

"It's gotta be Dean," John said. "Dean was the only person he really felt safe with…what is it?" He noticed the blank looks on his friends' faces.

"Sam just told us that the boys have taken off for his place," Bobby answered.

John sagged. He felt as though he just lost his sons forever. Jim took pity on the poor man and said, "Look, we know where Sam lives. I can't promise anything but I'll try to get him to agree to meet us, all of us, to work this out. You need to be a family, John. This is killing all of you. Unfortunately, I have a service to perform and the two of you will be attending. Then I'll contact Sam to set something up. Don't get your hopes up but maybe Dean will convince him to the meeting. You know how stubborn your son can be."

The three men stood up and got ready to go to Jim's service. For John, it was a balm on his wounded soul and he asked God's help to reconcile with his son. Bobby prayed for a, if not peaceful reunion, one that wasn't fatal. Jim himself asked for patience and forgiveness. All three men believed that divine intervention would be needed in the coming days.

After the service, Jim surprised John by going to the computer to contact Sam. Bobby looked at the confused man and said with humor in his voice, "Sam doesn't have a telephone. Doesn't speak, remember?" John blushed.

"Now we wait for an answer," Jim said when he was finished. "Let's get some sleep. It's going to be a while and we need our rest."

That night, John slept in the bed where his boys had been.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

Dean had fallen asleep during the drive to Sam's home. When they arrived, Sam didn't bother to wake his brother, preferring to carry him in and laying him on the only bed in the place, his. It would only be temporary until Sam could get another ordered and delivered. Feeling antsy, Sam took a long bath then finally went to bed. Dean automatically snuggled against his brother and Sam, for the first time in years, felt safe.

Waking up before the alarm went off Sam made coffee and had some breakfast. Not what he was planning for Christmas but still workable. Leaving a note for Dean about the coffee and where to find the food, Sam went out to the forge and started the fire. Since it would take some time to get to the point where he could heat iron, Sam checked his emails and orders. One of the emails came from Jim and he grimaced, knowing what Jim wanted before he even read it. He really wanted to tell the man no but decided to wait until he could "talk" to Dean about the matter.

When Dean woke up he found the note Sam left. After taking a shower, he went to grab some coffee and breakfast. As he ate, he started to look around the house. It was a small cabin that had been added to and updated. Solar panels were used for heat and wind power generated the electricity. There was only one bedroom with a large bathroom attached. The kitchen was modern and the living room was sparsely furnished. One thing he did notice was Sam had no television, radio, or telephone. Huh?

Then Dean became aware of a strange noise coming from outside. Following the noise, he came to a building about forty yards from the cabin. Walking in, he saw his little brother, who was stripped to his waist and hair pulled into a pony tail, pouring molten iron in casts the shape of knives. He looked around and was shocked at the display of knives and charms in various stages of development. Picking up one of the finished knives, he suddenly recognized the style and workmanship.

"You're Vulcan!" Dean said in surprise.

_Have been for years now. Bobby and Jim helped me buy the place and a friend helped me build my forge. _

"Who does your designs? I mean, they're genius!"

_All my own designs. Started drawing them when I was twelve. _

"Can I watch?" asked Dean

_Sure. Hey, can you turn on the vents? This can get a bit smelly._

Dean watched his brother finish pouring out the iron. While they were cooling, Sam got out the companion pieces done in silver and proceeded to heat them up then beat them. Heating them afforded Sam the luxury of folding the metal so the knife would be strong. After his process was complete and the iron blanks were cooled enough to work, he plunged the silver knives in water then hung them up. They were ready for the final processing. Dean saw the sure way that Sam worked the metal with heat and cool water and was awed at his brother's skill. After a couple of hours, Sam put his work down and got a bottle of water from the fridge. Silently he asked his brother if he was thirsty and Dean accepted a bottle.

After a few minutes of companionable silence, Dean smiled and said, "Dude, one word: satellite"

Sam smiled. _If you stay…maybe!_

Dean looked at Sam then pulled Sam's old trick on him, puppy dog eyes. Sam laughed out loud. He knew that he would be getting a t.v. finally and a satellite dish just to make his brother happy. Dean smiled and reveled in the fact he finally got to hear his brother's voice.

The boys left the forge and went to the cabin for lunch. While eating, they caught up with each other's lives. Dean could see the practicality of telepathy since a person could "talk" while having a mouth full of food. He found that Sam could "hear" his thoughts so both boys were silent during the meal. Dean told Sam how he figured out that John was the reason for Sam's leaving them. He didn't press for details and Sam was grateful for that. Never wanting to put a wedge between Dean and John, he kept quiet about a lot of his history with John. After lunch, Sam went back to the forge to finish for the day and Dean trailed after his brother not willing to let Sam out of his sight. After so long in his self- imposed exile, Sam positively relished the closeness of his brother.

After several hours, Sam shut the forge down for the day. He then gestured to Dean to follow him to another room. This was filled with research, some being done and many already done and filed. Books filled two walls of the room. One wall had drawings of designs that had been patented and were part of his personal market. The last wall had a large window showing a lake behind the cabin. Underneath the window was Sam's desk and computer setup. Dean took a look at the books and was surprised to find many of them were written in other languages. He saw books in Mandarin, Japanese, Rumanian, German, and Arabic to name a few. He also found older books written in Sanskrit, Latin, and other dead languages. Sam's degrees and diplomas were framed and placed next to the window along with the one photograph of the brothers when they were young.

As Sam checked his email, Dean idly looked in the file drawer marked finished research. He was surprised to find that Sam had done research for hunters all over the world. Most were marked as successful, but there was a few that were marked as dead. From the comments written in the dead files, Dean found out that it wasn't Sam's research that made the hunt unsuccessful, but the hunter had decided to disregard it, with disastrous results. What really shocked Dean was the realization that some of the research was for hunts he and John had done.

_Hey Dean, _Sam began, _Jim sent an email. He wants us, Bobby, John and himself to have a sit-down and talk. My first thought was hell no but I want you to have a say. They can come here or we can go to town. After our talk at lunch, I'm wondering if I should give John a chance. Don't get me wrong, I'm still scared of him but I want to do right by you and the Doublemint Twins._ _If I say yes, I'd want you to be there with me. _

Dean took some time to think about it. He had smiled when Sam called Bobby and Jim the Doublemint Twins. It showed how close Sam was to the two men. He thought about everything they had gone through both together and apart. Even though Dean was angry at his father for Sam's leaving, he found that he still loved the man. It was the reason that Dean actually stuck around instead of going off by himself. He also thought of how John had changed over the years. John wasn't the same man who Sam knew. He wasn't someone who put the hunt over his family anymore. Really, Sam deserved to get to know the new John and hopefully put the monster in its well-deserved grave. And John needed to know about his youngest son. What Sam had accomplished was nothing short of a miracle. Dean made his decision.

"Yeah, okay," Dean replied, "I'd really like John to see what you've done with your life. I think maybe we can…Dude, can you NOT do that?" Books were starting to float in the air as Sam nervously listened to his brother.

_Oh, sorry, _Sam replied sheepishly. The books settled back in their places.

"What I'm trying to say is that you deserve to know John now. What he was, what he did is in the past. I think with Bobby, Jim and me being there with you, this could actually be okay. If you're good with it, how about have the old geezers out to dinner tomorrow? That way, we can get a television and a stereo before they come!"

Even though he was stressing, Dean's last comment made Sam smile so large his dimples showed. Breathing slowly, he replied to Jim's email.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

The next day had Jim, Bobby and John in the packed Impala driving to Sam's place. Bobby did the honors with the driving since John didn't know where his baby lived. What surprised him was Bobby was taking him to the address for Vulcan. He wanted to ask why but knew that Bobby didn't know he had the address, so he kept quiet. Wait and see was his policy.

After a half an hour, the Impala was pulled up to the door of the cabin. The men got out and proceeded to the door which opened almost immediately. Dean stood in the doorway with a big grin on his face, welcoming them in. Bobby and Jim were shocked when they heard music coming from a stereo that they knew hadn't been there before. Delicious smells were coming from the kitchen and a fire was roaring in the fireplace. It was homey and comfortable.

"How did you convince Sam to get a stereo and a _television!_ " Bobby asked, shocked at the changes.

"He got them for his awesome big brother," Dean replied with a grin. "Boy Wonder is in the forge, said he had some things to do before dinner. I'd offer you some beer but Sam doesn't have any. So sparkling cider, coffee, tea or water is the best I can do." For John's benefit, he added, "Sam says that alcohol would cause too many accidents with the equipment he deals with."

After the men gave Dean their preferences, John started to look around at the home his youngest built. It was beautiful, especially with the decorations that Dean nagged Sam to get. When he got to the bedroom, John raised a quizzical eyebrow at Dean who turned red. "Yeah, bed's on order. Should get here next week."

John grinned. Not many things could get his oldest son to blush. Even if John still hated Sam, he would have been grateful to the young man. It had been too long since he saw Dean smile and too long since he heard Dean's voice.

"T.V. is okay to watch. Sam picked up a satellite dish and I put it up. Reception is excellent, even here in the boonies. Make yourselves comfortable. It should only be a few more minutes before he comes in. Oh yeah, he wants me to warn you that he is nervous and things may go floating around," Dean went on.

Jim and Bobby exchanged looks. Dean was so different from when he first knocked on Jim's door last night it seemed to be a miracle. When Sam came in, things did go floating but only since he had just two hands. He had brought some books with him, ten to be exact. A hunter in Georgia thought he had a vrykolakas stalking a village and wanted Sam's help. They were hard to kill since it was a werewolf who would turn into a vampire after death. They originated in Eastern Europe and this one had immigrated to the U.S. Sam was hoping that Jim and Bobby could help him figure a way to kill the thing just the one time instead of waiting for it to rise.

"Dude, research?" questioned Dean.

Sam just shrugged. _Guy said he needed it done ASAP. Thing's been killing people in Athens and its cyclical so I need to do it before the full moon._ "Hi Bobby, Jim, Dad," he said aloud. His voice sounded rusty but Dean said that John may accept him better if he verbalized. The books crashed to the floor as John pulled his baby into a crushing bear hug. The surprised look on Sam's face had everyone laughing except John who was crying for all the lost time.

_Uh, Dad…can't breathe_ Sam used his telepathy instinctively. And quite frankly, John was squeezing the air out of his lungs so verbalizing was impossible.

To his credit, John didn't flinch when he felt the feathery touch of his son's mind. Instead he just loosed his grip a bit but didn't let Sam go. He had lost his son so long ago and now that he found him…

"Sorry Sammy, I just can't seem to stop," John said with a watery grin. "Hey, you've gotten tall and what's with the hair?"

Sam just rolled his eyes. His shoulder length chestnut hair was something that Jim and Bobby teased him about all the time. Now it seemed that John and Dean were on the bandwagon as well. To change the subject, he hugged his father once more before wriggling loose. "I, uh, need to check on dinner. Should be done by now."

As Sam beat a hasty retreat from the confused John, Jim said, "You have to remember. Besides me and Bobby, Sam really doesn't see anyone. He has become a recluse, only going off the property to see us or go to the grocery store. He mostly deals with people through the computer. Hopefully, the two of you can help him out."

A few minutes later the dinner bell was rung with Sam coming in the room and saying "Hope you're hungry!" The men went to the table that was set with a roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, and a salad. Sparkling cider was also served. Sam had also baked a couple of pies for dessert. After all this time, he had become an excellent cook in his own right. Unknown to the men inside, a blizzard had started.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

The evening was coming to a close. It had been an enjoyable visit but the three men decided they needed to get going back to Jim's. It wasn't until they opened the door that they found they were snowed in. With five men and just one bed and a pullout couch, the accommodations were scant. It was finally agreed that Bobby and Jim would share the couch and the Winchesters would use the bed. The agreement wasn't reached without argument, Sam had originally said he would sleep out in the forge but both elder Winchesters shouted him down, unwilling to let their youngest out of their sight. The Impala was pulled in the garage next to Sam's car and after taking turns in the bathroom, the men settled in for the night.

Sam got up at his usual time of 3:00a.m. to go to work in the forge. He took a shower and made coffee. After eating breakfast, he laid some pastries out for his guests and used the tunnel he had dug for such an occasion. After starting the forge heating, he went to his office and faxed his research. It was decided that silver to the heart and burning the corpse should kill the vrykolakas and prevent it from rising. Finally the forge was hot enough to start working on the knives. For hours, Sam lost himself in his craft, not even noticing that he had gained an audience.

When John woke up, he started to panic the second he couldn't find Sam. His panic woke the others up and it took a while before he calmed down enough to find out that Sam was working. Bobby told him that it was usual for Sam to get up very early and go to the forge. In the summer, Sam would actually wait until nightfall to start the forge since it was just too hot otherwise. Since John had woken up the whole house, it was felt that they would get up and eat. After watching some t.v. Dean wanted to go to the forge but with the snow built up, he just didn't know how to get there. Jim showed him the tunnel that Sam had made and decided to join the young man. Bobby and John both looked at each other and, as one, followed the others.

When they got to the forge, Bobby put a finger to his lips and got some chairs from the office. Silently, they watched Sam work. John was in awe of his son's skills and started to look around. When he saw some of the finished knives, it clicked…Sam was Vulcan!

Sam was carving protective sigils on the knives and rarely looked at the patterns he had set on his work table. After each carving, he would retest the balance of the knife he was working on. Each knife had sigil carvings on both sides of the blade. On the hilt, he carved runes for protection and success. Lastly, he sharpened each blade to a keen edge and polished the knife. When he was done, he put the knife in a box to be blessed by Jim later. Each knife took at least two hours to complete. After a while, Sam stopped and looked up, surprised by the applause he was receiving. He grinned uncertainly, unused to such attention.

John spoke, "Ever since they started to appear on the market, I have loved Vulcan's knives. Even ordered a couple myself. They are beautiful and well-balanced and haven't failed me yet. I wish I had known a long time ago how talented you are, Sam. You make me proud." He wiped the tears that fell from his eyes and asked his son the most important question, "Can you ever forgive me for being a bastard to you? I know I don't deserve it but I need to ask. Please?"

Only a hard hearted man would have turned a deaf ear to John's pleas. Under all of Sam's fears and anger, he still loved his father. It would take a while, but forgiveness was not only possible but definite. Sam answered his father with a hug. After a minute, Dean came over to join the hug.

SWDWSWDWSWDW

The next few days had the John and Dean exploring Sam's domain. Every discovery they made was a startling insight into Sam. They also learned that Sam was rich. Now that really came as a shock. Another shock was finding out that Sam had been supporting them as much as possible by paying their numerous credit card and hospital bills. No matter what, Sam had always cared for his family. It was a humbling idea for John and Dean.

It had been decided that Dean would stay with Sam. Both boys agreed to it enthusiastically. Jim, John, and Bobby felt it would help to bring Sam out of his shell. John would be staying with Jim until, in the summer, a cabin could be built for him by Sam's. A tunnel would connect both cabins in case of inclement weather. Bobby also was getting a cabin built by the boys. He decided that since his family was going to up by Blue Earth, he would sell his salvage yard and move by his boys. Sam felt a bit overwhelmed by all the company he was going to have. He started to feel the need for solitude and things were floating all over the place. When Dean figured out what was wrong, he made the forge as Sam's fortress of solitude which Sam was grateful for.

It would still take some time for the family to heal but Jim felt the healing process had begun the night they had gotten snowed in. He thanked God for the Christmas Miracle.

fin

Vulcan is the name of the Roman god of forge and fire. I don't really know the art of forging or knife making. Everything written is for the sake of the story. Please don't flame me for my inaccuracies.

Thank you Diayu Amaya for beta reading my story!


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